The Quarterly of the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, JU 1/2015 (28)

ELECTION OF THE VICE-DEAN FOR SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS In July Prof. Zbi- cause tuberous sclerosis 1. She also focused on gniew Madeja took searching mutations of genes in the the post of Dean 9q34 region and their molecular genetic ana- of the Faculty of lysis. The results were published in prestigious Contents Biochemistry, Bio- journals including Human Genetics, Genomics, physics and Bio- Biochimie, Science, Annals of Human Genetics Election technology so the and New England Journal of Medicine. of the Vice-Dean position of Vice- In 2001 Professor Jura joined the Jagiello- for Science and Inter- national Affairs -Dean for Science nian University Faculty of Biochemistry, Bio- and International physics and Biotechnology and since 2013 she Faculty Christmas Affairs became va- has been the Head of the Department of Ge- Gathering cant and therefore neral Biochemistry. Currently, her interests lie University of Young election of a new Vice-Dean was held on 14 mainly in regulation of inflammatory processes Inventors November, 2014. Pursuant to the decision of at the molecular level and aetiology of selected Faculty Council, this position will be held by inflammation-mediated conditions (metabolic Doctorates Prof. Jolanta Jura. syndrome, skin diseases, neoplasms). Profes- in Biotechnology Professor Jura graduated from the Faculty sor Jura has worked with her team on mole- Grants of Biology and Earth Sciences, Nicolaus Coper- cular characterization of genes and proteins, and Scholarships nicus University in Toruń. In 1994 she earned initially identified with the use of microarray her doctoral degree at the Karol Marcinkowski techniques and differential expression analy- Honorary Decora- Medical Academy (at present Karol Marcinkow- sis, which are involved in regulation of inflam- tions and Awards ski University of Medical Sciences) in Poznań. matory processes. One of their considerable Workshops Six years later, Professor Jura obtained habilita- achievements was identification of the MCPIP1 and Trainings tion at the Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz protein to be an important regulator of the in- University in Poznań. flammatory response. Professor Jura revealed Report of the Week of Education Quality During her PhD studies, Professor Jura that the MCPIP1 protein is an RNase targeting completed two foreign short-term research in- transcripts of the proinflammatory cytokines Professorships ternships: at the Institute of Human Genetics, and regulates adipocyte differentiation. Artic- University of Göttingen and at the Institute of les concerning these topics were published in Habilitations Human Genetics, University of Bonn, both in Biochimica and Biophysica Acta – Molecular Phd Theses Germany. In 1996 the Foundation for Polish Basis of Disease, FEBS Journal, Biochemical Science awarded Professor Jura a scholarship Journal, Journal of Innate Immunity and Jour- KNOW to pursue her research at the Brigham and Wo- nal of Nanomedicine. The research tasks have men's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Bo- been carried out under projects financed by "Mygen“ ston, USA (1996-1998). the National Science Centre (NCN) of the Mini- "Nobel“ Professor Jura’s doctoral and habilitation stry of Science and Higher Education or in the theses focused on human genetics. Their aim framework of EU-funded grants. “N.Zyme“ was to characterize gene mutations at the DNA Professor Jura is a member of the Polish Visiting Lecturers sequence level that cause common genetic di- Genetical Society, Polish Biochemical Society sorders. During that period, her publications (since 2011 she has held the position of Presi- It’s Past Belief! addressed the following topics: mutations of dent of the Kraków branch of the Society) and the dystrophin gene, adenomatous polyposis the European Society for Dermatological Rese- List of Publications coli gene (APC) and the TSC1 gene which may arch. FACULTY CHRISTMAS GATHERING Special meetings of the Faculty community, science. Rudolphina was fired from a fast-food held just before the Christmas break (this year bar for providing customers with information on 18 December), has already become a tra- about unhealthy effects of the offered food on dition. The standing agenda included a mul- their body. At the end Rudolphina returned to tigenerational Faculty choir concert of carols her PhD studies and met a group of students beautifully sung under the direction of Damian who discussed an extremely difficult problem. Ryszawy followed by breaking of the Christmas She realised that she was able to answer all the- wafer and wishing each other a Merry Christ- ir questions and easily explain complex issues. mas and a Happy New Year. The participants hi- Rudolphina’s skills were immediately recogni- ghly appreciated the room décor and enjoyed zed by the Lab Head – Santa Claus. Rudolphi- the food very much. na found her own place where she could fully At the end, students of biophysics, mem- develop her abilities and the students gained a bers of the Student Research Club “Nobel“, tutor with a strong vocation for teaching. And performed a play “Rudolphina the Red-Nosed they lived happily ever after. Reindeerin“ of their own authorship. The team of screenwriters and directors The play was based on the story of the Ru- consisted of Alicja Cieślewicz, Katarzyna Li- dolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. In the “Nobel“ chańska, Katarzyna Radoń and Anna Sawicka. version Rudolph was replaced by Rudolphina, These people, together with Jacek Buczek, Ka- a female PhD student who has been unsuc- mil Deręgowski, Adam Górka, Artur Kowalik, cessful in research. Discouraged with the lack Bohun Mielecki, Zuzanna Pakosz and Małgo- of promising results, Rudolphina decided to rzata Wolska, were also involved in featuring seek her fortune elsewhere. She took to phi- and technical support. As it could have been losophy but philosophy students laughed at expected, the play evoked a strong positive her understanding of the truth of experimental emotional reactions. UNIVERSITY OF YOUNG INVENTORS In November, the Fa- portunity to meet the academic staff and get culty of Biochemistry, acquainted with the research conducted at the Biophysics and Biotech- Faculty. The 2nd stage will include searching the nology was awarded a digital databases accessible in the Jagiellonian 50,000 zł fund from the University network and consultations with the “University of Young In- scientific staff and PhD students of the Faculty ventors“ programme of the Ministry of Science of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology and Higher Education. The aim of this project in order to gain the basic knowledge in bioche- is to develop cooperation of secondary schools mistry, biophysics and biotechnology. In this and universities. way, the students will be prepared to start the The winning project entitled “Cell meta- 3rd stage of the project, i.e. practical workshops. bolism and toxic agents“ will be implemented Only highly motivated students with suffi- in collaboration with the August Witkowski cient manual skills will be qualified to perform General Education Secondary School No. 5 (V more advanced experiments in specialist labo- Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Augusta Witkow- ratories of the Faculty (stage 4th). The final sta- skiego) in Kraków, from December 2014 till ge is to summarise the project outcomes and October 2015. The project is coordinated by Dr it will take a form of a conference organized in Beata Myśliwa-Kurdziel of the Department of the Witkowski Secondary School. During this Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and Monika conference, the project participants will have Rak of the Department of Cell Biology. an opportunity to present their achievements The planned activities aim at stimulating to an audience of teachers and colleagues. The school students’ interest in science, covering results can be incorporated into papers sub- both theoretical and experimental aspects. mitted to the Science Olympiads. This project will start from lectures for all 2nd The central idea of the project is to show grade students of the Witkowski Secondary young people how scientific discoveries have School (1st stage). It will be an excellent op- changed the world and everyday life.

2 DOCTORATES IN BIOTECHNOLOGY By an order of the Central Commission for Aca- Biotechnology. Until now, the Faculty Council demic Degrees and Titles of 28 October 2014, could award degrees only in biology, bioche- the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and mistry and biophysics. Broader powers will Biotechnology obtained the right to award help to more precisely match degrees to the the degree of Doctor of Biological Sciences in investigations performed. GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS Grants for the Faculty of Biochemistry, giogenesis. The research will continue over the Biophysics and Biotechnology research staff next two years and will include in vivo experi- under the OPUS, PRELUDIUM and SONATA ments on animal models. programmes This year, 549 competition applications On the 13th of November 2014, the results of were assessed of which 145 projects were se- the 7th edition of the OPUS, PRELUDIUM and lected to receive funding. SONATA competitions (National Science Cen- tre) were announced. The following scientists L'Oréal habilitation fellowship were among the winners: Dr Joanna Kozieł, Assistant Professor at • Dr Witold Korytowski from the Department the Department of Microbiology, is one of Biophysics (project entitled: “Cholesterol of the three winners of the L'Oréalha- hydroperoxides – impairment of the ste- bilitation fellowship. The winners were roid hormone biosynthesis system under announced during the 14th gala event conditions“, financing of which took place in Warsaw on 28 No- 846,000 zł, OPUS 7); vember, 2014. Dr Joanna Koziel • Dr Benedykt Władyka from the Depart- As a member of Professor Jan Potempa’s ment of Analytical Biochemistry (project team, Doctor Kozieł has worked on interactions entitled: “Toxin-antitoxin systems as the between pathogenic bacteria and the host im- regulators of gene expression in staphylo- mune system at the molecular level. She is par- cocci“, financing of 879,220 zł, OPUS 7); ticularly interested in the effect of pathogenic • Piotr Konieczny, MSc, from the Department bacteria on the immunological response with of General Biochemistry (project entitled: special reference to the development and re- “Role of the MCPIP1 RNase in proliferation gulation of non-specific defence mechanisms. and differentiation of human primary kera- In her research, Doctor Kozieł focuses main- tinocytes“, financing of 148,200 zł, PRELU- ly on new virulence mechanisms of bacteria DIUM 7); in staphylococcal infections and periodonti- • Maciej Michalik, MSc, from the Depart- tis. Understanding of bacterial strategies for ment of Plant Physiology and Biochemi- stry (project entitled: “Reconstitution and overcoming host immune responses provides modification of the LHCII antenna complex a useful starting point for the development cofactors“, financing of 100,000 zł, PRELU- of new drugs to fight the increasing problem DIUM 7). of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

IUVENTUS PLUS Programme Scholarships of the Ministry of Science and Dr Anna Grochot-Przęczek from the Depart- Higher Education ment of Medical Biotechnology was a winner Outstanding doctoral and graduate students of the 4th edition of the “Iuventus Plus“ compe- were awarded scholarships for the 2014/2015 tition organised by the Ministry of Science and academic year by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. This competition is open to Higher Education. Four graduate students young scientists who carry out high-quality re- of our Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and search and have considerable scientific achie- Biotechnology were among the winners: Justy- vements. na Godoś and Alicja Karabasz (biochemistry) Dr Anna Grochot-Przęczek will investigate and Sara Przetocka and Marta Seczyńska (bio- the role of the SDF-1, GDF-15 and Nrf2 in an- technology).

3 April 2015 1 WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS Second Polish-French Scientific – Collegium Maius) and Mr Yoann Arthaud, De- LIA Workshop puty Attaché for Scientific and University Co- On 4-6 December 2014, a LIA (Laboratoire In- operation at the Embassy of France in Poland. ternational Associé) workshop was held at the Almost seventy scientists took part in the Jagiellonian University’s Collegium Maius, Kra- workshop, among them Prof. Barbara Jarząb ków. It was second of the series of workshops (Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial provided for in the Agreement establishing Center and Institute of Oncology in Gliwice), the International Associated Laboratory. LIA Prof. Krzysztof Selmaj and Dr Marcin Mycko was built upon the Jagiellonian University De- (Medical University of Łódź); Dr Krystian Jaż- partment of Medical Biotechnology, Kraków dżewski (Medical University of Warsaw); Prof. and the Centre for Molecular Biophysics, Cell Artur Jarmołowski (Institute of Molecular Bio- Recognition and Glycobiology, CNRS, Orléans logy and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz in 2013. LIA is guided by Prof. Józef Dulak and University in Poznań) from Poland and Dr Eva Prof. Claudine Kieda (see Triplet No. 24). The Jakab-Toth (Director of the Centre for Mole- workshops are intended for both Polish and cular Biophysics, CNRS, Orléans), Dr Christo- French teams. phe Grosset (CNRS, Orléans), Dr David Israeli (CNRS, Orléans), Prof. Chantal Pichon (CNRS, Orléans), Dr Stefan Petoud and Dr Catherine Grillon (Centre for Molecular Biophysics, CNRS, Orléans) from France. Over thirty lectures on microRNA were given during three days. The detailed programme of the meeting can be ac- cessed at http://biotka.mol.uj.edu.pl/zbm.

At the heart of the Kraków edition of the Joanna Uchto workshops was: MicroRNAs: mediators of diffe- rentiation and biomarkers of diseases. During Report of the Week of Education Quality the meeting, scientists of both research cen- The first week of December at the Jagiellonian tres in Poland and France as well as invited University was dedicated to the quality of edu- speakers presented results of their studies. The cation. The university-wide meetings and tra- Organizing Committee included Prof. Claudine ining programme was accompanied by local Kieda, Prof. Józef Dulak, Prof. Alicja Józkowicz, events organized by departments. As usual, Prof. Jean-Claude Michalski, Dr Catherine Gril- the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and lon, Dr Agnieszka Łoboda and Joanna Uchto, Biotechnology actively joined the programme MSc. with series of separate trainings for students Participating in the official inauguration of and teachers. the workshops were Prof. Stanisław Kistryn (Vi- ce-Rector for Research and Structural Funds), Prof. Piotr Laidler (Vice-Rector for Medical Col- lege), Prof. Zbigniew Madeja (Dean of the Fa- culty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotech- nology), Prof. Karol Musioł (JU Rector in the years 2005–2012), Prof. Krzysztof Stopka (Di- rector of the Jagiellonian University Museum

4 Two seminars were addressed to the uni- tionto the mysteriesof knowledge“ (leader: versity teachers and PhD students. On 2 De- Prof.Halina Gabryś, Faculty of Biochemi- cember Ms Aleksandra Siódmak (psychologist stry, Biophysics and Biotechnology). with clinical expertise, graduated from psycho- • Workshop “How to prepare a presenta- logy and philosophy) conducted a meeting tion“ (leader: Marek Ścibor, journalist). about “Interpersonal relationships between te- • Workshop “Working time planning“ (le- achers and students with special reference to ader: Aleksandra Siódmak, psychologist). the art of motivating the course participants“. • Meeting on research and training trips Mr Marek Ścibor, a journalist involved in cre- abroad (with the participation of the Facul- ative restatement of information, presentation ty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotech- techniques and explainer videos, ran a course nology Dean’s Consultant for the Erasmus “Art of presentation“ on 3 December 2014. Programme, a representative of the Centre On 2-5 December the students had an op- for Innovative Development of Society, portunity to attend the following courses: employers and students who have already • Seminar “The art of writing degree disser- took part in internships or international tationsandscientific publications-introduc- exchange programmes).

PROFESSORSHIPS

This year, the Jagiellonian University Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology has gained two new profes- sors. Dr Jacek Międzobrodzki of the Department of Microbiology was awarded the title of Professor of Biological Scien- ces on 25 June, 2014 and on 8 October the same title was awarded to Dr Leszek Fiedor of the Department of Plant Phy- siology and Biochemistry. The ceremony was chaired by the President of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Komorowski.

HONORARY DECORATIONS AND AWARDS

Argentinian Government Award Ministry of Science, Technology and Producti- for Professor Józef Dulak ve Innovation. The award ceremony took place in Buenos Aires on 17 November 2014. Dr Luis Federico Leloir Prize is awarded to foreign scientists that have been involved in international cooperation and have thus made important contributions to Argentina's scienti- fic and technological progress. In an official letter sent to the Jagiellonian University authorities, it was written that Pro- fessor Dulak “actively promoted scientific co- operation between Argentina and Poland, he collaborated with the universities of Buenos Aires and encouraged Argentinian researchers to conduct their studies in his laboratory. Pro- fessor Dulak gave lectures in Buenos Aires, Cór- doba and Bariloche and contributed to raising funds for the 1st and 2nd South American Sym- Professor Józef Dulak, Head of the Department posia in Signal Transduction and Molecular of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemi- Medicine (SISTAM), held in 2010 and 2012. stry, Biophysics and Biotechnology received Dr Luis Federico Leloir Prize from the Argentinian Joanna Uchto

5 April 2015 1 HABILITATIONS On 23 September 2014 Council of the Faculty -Śliwińska joined Professor Patrice Jichlinski of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology group at the Department of Urology, Lausan- awarded Dr Patrycja Nowak-Śliwińska of the ne University Hospital, where she carried out Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lau- a project “Screening platform for optimal drug sanne (EcolePolytechniqueFédérale de Lau- combinations“ examining efficacy of antine- sanne, EPFL), Switzerland the degree of Doctor oplastic combined chemotherapy protocols. Habilitatus. The basis for awarding this degree From December 2013 Doctor Nowak-Śliwińska was a series of works published in the years has continued research in Professor Paul J. Dy- 2010-2014 under the common title “Vessel-tar- son team at the Laboratory of Organometallic geted therapies in neovascular diseases“. and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, EPFL, where she has The studies been responsible for implementation and co- carried out by ordination of research on antineoplastic and Dr Patrycja No- antiangiogenic properties of new ruthenium wak-Śliwińska organometallic compounds. In 2013 she rece- addressed the ived a prestigious fellowship from the Marie following topics: Curie Intra-European Fellowships For Career (i) development Development (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF) to carry of a new tool for out her original project “Refined screening for image analysis novel targets in the tumour vasculature“ focused that could quan- on searching new potential biological targets tify antiangioge- in the epithelium of the tumour blood vessels. nesis at the capillary level, (ii) antiangiogenic Furthermore, Dr Patrycja Nowak-Śliwińska is a properties of low molecular weight ruthenium co-author of three international patents. (II) compounds which could be used in anti- cancer therapy, (iii) course of angiogenesis On 21 October 2014 Council of the Faculty of after photodynamic therapy and angiogenesis Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology inhibition in the exudative age-related macu- awarded Dr Joanna Chwiej the degree of Do- lar degeneration (AMD) model, (iv) effective ctor Habilitatus. Dr Joanna Chwiej graduated combination of photodynamic therapy and from the Faculty of Physics and Nuclear Techni- inhibitors of kinases to arrest tumour growth, ques (the current name: Faculty of Physics and (v) conditions of selective closure of lymphatic Applied Computer Science), AGH University of vessels using photodynamic therapy and kine- Science and Technology, Kraków with a degree tics of the vessel regeneration. in technical physics. She gained a doctorate in Patrycja Nowak-Śliwińska completed her 2007 from the Faculty of Physics and Applied PhD programme at the Jagiellonian Universi- Computer Science, AGH UST where she has ty Faculty of Chemistry. In 2006 she obtained been employed until now. Dr Joanna Chwiej a doctor’s degree with the thesis “Selected po- won the main prize in the 2007 edition of Stat- rphyrin and cyanine photosensitizers in PDT of Soft Poland competition for the best doctoral melanoma malignum and novel optical sensors dissertation prepared using the STATISTICA for tissular p02 measurement. In the years 2007- software. 2010 Dr Patrycja Nowak-Śliwińska did her re- Doctor Chwiej was twice a winner of the search in the Medical Photonics Group of the START programme competition organized by Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausan- the Foundation for Polish Science. She also ne. Next (2010-2011) she completed a one-year received a scholarship for outstanding young research internship at the Angiogenesis Labo- scientists from the Ministry of Science and Hi- ratory (Head: Arjan W. Griffioen, PhD) of the VU gher Education. In 2011 Doctor Chwiej became University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, ta- a member of the Council of Young Scientists, a king part in investigations on the regulation of subsidiary body of the Ministry of Science and tumour angiogenesis. In 2011 Doctor Nowak- Higher Education.

6 Doctor Chwiej has used synchrotron ra- wing topics: (i) usefulness of the synchrotronic diation to explore nervous system patholo- techniques for studying epileptogenesis, (ii) gies. Her habilitation thesis “Modern spectro- imaging techniques to analyse nervous tissue, scopic methods as a tool to investigate the (iii) role of metals in the course of epilepsy, (iv) pathogenesis and progress of epilepsy in the pilocarpine model of seizures“ contained five processes responsible for neurodegenerative experimental works which addressed the follo- changes within the hippocampus.

Przemysław Porębski – “Improvement of mo- del building and refinement of macromolecu- PHD THESES lar crystal structures“. Supervisors: Prof. Wladek Katarzyna Piwowarczyk – “In vitro metastatic Minor, Prof. Marta Pasenkiewicz-Gierula. 17 niche models to study invasion mechanisms of October 2014. the cells.” Supervisor: Dr Jaro- sław Czyż. 12 December 2014. Ewelina Cieluch – “Impulse double beam spectrophotometric technique as a tool to stu- dy the mechanism of changes in the dynamic Monika Rak – “Use of cationic derivatives of distribution of electrons in the chains of cyto- polyisoprenoid alcohols as carriers of nucle- chrom bc1 cofactors.” Supervisor: Prof. Artur ic acids for lipofection“. Supervisor: Prof. Zbi- Osyczka. 4 November 2014. gniew Madeja. 18 December 2014.

plication Potential of the Faculty of Bio- KNOW chemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, composed of: Prof. Jolanta Jura – the Chair- woman and Prof. Artur Osyczka, Prof. Marta On 3 December 2014, the Faculty of Biochemi- Pasenkiewicz-Gierula, Dr Ewa Zuba-Surma; • Committee for the Junior Academic Staff stry, Biophysics and Biotechnology and the Ja- of the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics giellonian Center of Innovation concluded an and Biotechnology, composed of: Dr Ry- agreement on the accounting procedure of the szard Gurbiel – the Chairman and Dr Justy- grants awarded by the Leading National Rese- na Drukała, Dr Krzysztof Pyrć, Dr Agnieszka arch Centre (KNOW). According to the agre- Wolnicka-Głubisz; ement, the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics • Committee for Educational Practice, com- and Biotechnology will receive 85 percent of posed of Prof. Marta Dziedzicka-Wasylew- the funds transferred by the Ministry of Scien- ska – the Chairwoman and Dr Małgorzata ce and Higher Education and the Jagiellonian Dutka, Dr Maria Rąpała-Kozik, Dr Anna Wi- Center of Innovation will obtain the remaining śniewska; 15 percent. Furthermore, both parties agreed • Committee for Promotion of the Leading to maintain separate accounting records for National Research Centre (KNOW) and the KNOW projects and to keep appropriate the Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics documentation to certify the expenditures un- and Biotechnology (Cell-Mol-Tech Consor- der these grants in a manner that would allow tium), composed of Dr Martyna Elas – the assessments or external audits. Chairwoman and Dr Dominik Czaplicki, On 9 December 2014, on the basis of the Dr Beata Myśliwa-Kurdziel, Dr Magdalena decision of the Faculty of Biochemistry, Bio- Tworzydło. physics and Biotechnology Council, four com- mittees were established to implement the ob- In the nearest future the committees will focus jectives contained in the application for KNOW on determination of specific tasks, their deadli- status. The awarded funds will be used to per- nes and development of the rules for distribu- form these tasks. tion of the funds between the beneficiaries of • Committee for the Development and En- various programmes under the Leading Natio- hancement of Research Capacity and Ap- nal Research Centre (KNOW).

7 April 2015 1 conference, another important poster was also “MYGEN“ presented. It showed the results of a Mygen project on overexpression and purification of thermostable DNA polymerases. According to the Mygen tradition, we met before the Christmas to share best wishes to This has been another busy semester for the each other. All competed to produce the best Student Research Club “Mygen“. Many Mygen cakes and muffins. members took part in the XVI National Aca- Together with the student research club st demic Seminar of Biotechnology Students dealing with genetics, we organized the 1 (OASSB) held in Łódź, 21-23 November, 2014. Student Conference on Genetics GENOMICA Both oral presentations and posters attrac- which will take place 24-26 April 2015. Starting ted interest from the conference participants. from nothing was a great challenge. Extensive Presentation of our colleague Rajmund Króli- promotion of the conference to all the Polish kowski Expression and purification of proteins of student research clubs highly engaged partici- the cmr complex of CRISPR-Cas Porphyromonas pants so we can expect high quality oral pre- gingivalis won the second place. During the sentations and posters.

“NOBEL“ The tradition of cooperation between “Nobel“ over, byelections to the Nobel Board were held, and students of biophysics from Poznań and resulting in Paulina Nowak, Vice-President and Lublin has been continued this year. In the Oskar Szelest, Conference Coordinator. beginning of December the Maria Curie-Skło- As a part of our regular activities, we have dowska University (UMCS) in Lublin and the conducted a next series of “Meetings with Bio- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University physics“ (dedicated to high school students). in Poznań organized three-day student work- We have also offered a visitors programme shops held in the Department of Biophysics, “What’s going on in a lab?”, i.e. annual tours of Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Skłodowska the departments and laboratories of our Facul- University (UMCS) in Lublin. The theme of the ty (dedicated to the first-year students of bio- workshops was molecular spectroscopy in bio- physics). medical research. Also in December, a General Meeting of We have got much joy out of preparing a the “Nobel“ Student Research Club took pla- Christmas play in which almost all Nobel mem- ce, during which we elected a new mentor, Dr bers were involved. We were also happy to help Martyna Elas. Special thanks to the outgoing in organizing this year's Winter School of Facul- Mentor Professor Jerzy Dobrucki for his dedi- ty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechno- cation this past eleven years to our club. More- logy.

“N-ZYME“ N.Zyme members started the new academic ted by poverty, according to specified needs. year actively from election of the new board. Strong response from both N.Zyme members In November we could participate in a meeting and other people let us collect all needed of the series ScienceCorner during which the items. Encouraged by this success, we are go- N.Zyme members experienced in laboratory ing to join the Noble Box Project also next year. work shared their knowledge and presented Before Christmas we had our annual in- results of experiments obtained in the pre- formal meeting. In friendly atmosphere, with vious years. Grzegorz Sieński, PhD student at home baked cakes, we wished each other a Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA), Merry Christmas. Vienna, Austria was a guest of a ScienceCorner In the coming semester we are not going meeting and gave an interesting lecture on his to rest; seminars of the series ScienceCorner research into RNA. will be still held. We invite all who are intere- Apart from strictly scientific initiatives, we sted! took part in the Noble Box Project (Szlachetna Paczka) and collected gifts for a family affec- Małgorzata Mnich

8 IT’S PAST BELIEF! “Unwords“

Is it possible to employ scientific methods to investigate something that does not exist? Or so- mething whose existence or mode of existence is questionable? Does it make sense to talk about theological science? And first of all, does it belong to science or humanities? If it is a branch of humanities, why theology is not included into religious studies? So maybe it is science?

Pavel Florensky, “stupendous genius“1, was a Russian Orthodox theologian and a co-founder of the Russian School of Mathematics which produced one of the greatest modern mathema- ticians, Grigori Perelman. Florensky stressed that “mathematics and religion have very much in common because they both use symbols to define abstract concepts, of which it is not known whether they exist or not.”2 Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker considered theology to be an experi- mental discipline with strict, clearly defined methodology and precise conceptual system, but when necessary, with the possibility to use the idiographic approach, typical for the humanities. Experimental science but, unlike the natural sciences, verifying its hypotheses for milleniums.3 This mutual affinity of mathematics and theology is really astonishing. Maria Gaetana Agnesi from Bologna, one of the first female university professors of the modern era, balanced her time between differential calculus, writings of the Church Fathers and the eighteen-century mysti- cism.4 Countless other examples could be given but … Nobody, or almost nobody, in the world can access either the realms of mind of Grigori Perelman or witness the figments of his imagi- nation. What did he find, what did he reveal that he declined to accept the Fields Medal and cut off any communication with the outside world? Only the proofs of the Poincaré and Thurston's conjectures? Is it possible to investigate something that does not exist? If not what about biologists, molecular geneticists, biotechnologists? Nullomers, in other words “absent sequences“5 (?) or “unwords“6, are nucleotide sequences that do not exist in any genome while primes are sequen- ces not existing in a given genome.5 There are even proteins that do not exist, or more precisely protein fragments, so called “forbidden“ pentapeptides, but surprisingly they are not encoded by nullomers.7 None of these structures can be found in nucleic acids or proteins but they are being investigated and the studies are even supported by research grants. So do they exist or not? And if they do exist in what way do they exist?

Przemysław M. Płonka

1. Rojek P. W cieniu druzgocącego geniusza. Polskie badania filozofii Pawła Florenskiego. In: Kiejzik L, Uglik J (eds.), Polskie badania filozofii rosyjskiej. Przewodnik po literaturze,nd 2 part, IFiS PAN, Warsaw, 2012, pp. 207–245. 2. Neshitov T. Geniusz i zagadka Wszechświata. Süddeutsche Zeitung, 06.04.2013, after: Onet.pl (24.04.2013). 3. von Weizsäcker CF. Jedność przyrody (Unity of Nature). PIW, Warsaw, 1978, pp. 60-62. 4. O'Connor JJ, Robertson EF. Maria Gaëtana Agnesi. http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biogra- phies/Agnesi.html (06.11.2014). 5. Hampikian G, Anderson T. Absent sequences: nullomers and primes. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing 2007 12:355-366. 6. Herold J, Kurtz S, Giegerich R. Efficient computation of absent words in genomic sequences. BMC Bioinfor- matics 2008 9:167. 7. Tuller T, Chor B, Nelson N. Forbidden penta-peptides. Protein Sci. 2007 16:2251-2259.

April 2015 1 VISITING LECTURERS 3 October 2014 Guest of the Department of Medical Biotech- Prof. Andrzej Słomiński (Department of Pa- nology and Kraków Branch of the Polish Bio- thology and Laboratory Medicine, chemical Society. Health Science Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA). Lecture entitled: “New path- 12 December 2014 ways of vitamin D activation and their biologi- Prof. Luigi Zecca (Institute of Biomedical Tech- cal role“. Guest of the Department of Biophy- nologies, National Research Council, Milan, Ita- sics. ly). Lecture entitled: “Recent advances in neu- romelanin studies.” Guest of the Department of 28 October 2014 Biophysics. Prof. Mary Bisson (State University of New York at Buffalo, USA). Lecture entitled: “Heavy Tea meetings at Gronostajowa – lecture se- metal uptake by microalgae: the good, the bad, ries of the Kraków Branch of the Polish Bioche- and the surprising“. Guest of the Department mical Society: of Plant Biotechnology, Polish Society for Expe- rimental Plant Biology and Polish Cell Biology 29 October 2014 Society. Prof. Maria Jolanta Rędowicz (Nencki Insti- tute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland). 3 November 2014 Lecture entitled: “Unconventional myosin VI in Prof. Patrick Venables (University of Oxford, skeletal muscle and myogenic cells: involve- UK). Lecture entitled: “The link between perio- ment in myoblast differentiation and probably dontitis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).” in the development of cardiomyopathy.”

12 December 2014 26 November 2014 Prof. Jan Dumanski (Department of Immuno- Prof. Marek Sanak (JU MC II Chair of Internal logy, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala Univer- Medicine and the University Hospital in Kra- sity, Sweden). Lecture entitled: “46XY minus Y = ków, Poland). Lecture entitled: “Oxylipins – lipid higher mortality and increased risk of cancer.” mediators of pathophysiological significance.” LIST OF PUBLICATIONS Supplement – III quarter 2014 IV quarter 2014 Eick S, Puklo M, Adamowicz K, Kantyka T, Hiem- Aguilar PA, Twarda A, Sousa F, Dias-Cabral AC. stra P, Stennicke H, Guentsch A, Schacher B, Thermodynamic study of the interaction be- Eickholz P, Potempa J. Lack of cathelicidin pro- tween linear plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid cessing in Papillon-Lefevre syndrome patients and an anion exchange support under linear reveals essential role of LL-37 in periodontal and overloaded conditions. Journal of Chroma- homeostasis. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 2014;9. tography A. 2014;1372:166-173.

Penaloza OMR, Lewandowska M, Stetefeld J, Bielecka E, Scavenius C, Kantyka T, Jusko M, Ossysek K, Madej M, Bereta J, Sobczak M, Sho- Mizgalska D, Szmigielski B, Potempa B, Enghild jaei S, Ghavami S, Los MJ. JJ, Prossnitz ER, Blom AM, Potempa J. Peptidyl Apoptins: selective anticancer agents. Trends in arginine deiminase from Porphyromonas gin- Molecular Medicine. 2014;20(9):519-528. givalis abolishes anaphylatoxin C5a activity. Jo- urnal of Biological Chemistry. 2014;289(47). Zareba M, Skumatz CMB, Sarna TJ, Burke JM. Photic injury to cultured RPE varies among individual cells in proportion to their endoge- Brodowska K, Theodoropoulou S, Hoerste nous lipofuscin content as modulated by their MMZ, et al. Effects of metformin on retinobla- melanosome content. Investigative Ophthal- stoma growth in vitro and in vivo. International mology & Visual Science. 2014;55(8):4982-4990. Journal of Oncology. 2014;45(6):2311-2324.

10 Bryzek D, Ksiazek M, Bielecka E, Karim AY, Po- Jagielski T, Puacz E, Lisowski A, Siedlecki P, Du- tempa B, Staniec D, Koziel J, Potempa J. A patho- dziak W, Miedzobrodzki J, Krukowski, H. Short genic trace of Tannerella forsythia - shedding of communication: Antimicrobial susceptibility soluble fully active tumor necrosis factor alpha profiling and genotyping of Staphylococcus from the macrophage surface by karilysin. Mo- aureus isolates from bovine mastitis in Poland. lecular Oral Microbiology. 2014;29(6):294-306. Journal of Dairy Science. 2014;97(10):6122- 6128. Burmistrz P, Rozwadowski A, Burmistrz M, Karcz A. Coke dust enhances coke plant wastewater Kaminski A, Bober B, Chrapusta E, Bialczyk J. treatment. Chemosphere. 2014;117:278-284. Phytoremediation of anatoxin-a by aquatic macrophyte Lemna trisulca L. Chemosphere. de Diego I, Veillard F, Sztukowska MN, Guevara 2014;112:305-310. T, Potempa B, Pomowski A, Huntington JA, Po- tempa J, Xavier Gomis-Rueth F. Structure and Karcz D, Boron B, Matwijczuk A, Furso J, Staron mechanism of cysteine peptidase gingipain K J, Ratuszna A, Fiedor L. Lessons from chloro- (Kgp), a major virulence factor of Porphyromo- phylls: modifications of porphyrinoids towards optimized solar energy conversion. Molecules. nas gingivalis in periodontitis. Journal of Biolo- 2014;19(10):15938-15954. gical Chemistry. 2014;289(46):32291-32302.

Karkowska-Kuleta J, Kozik A. Moonlighting pro- Domagalik A, Beldzik E, Oginska H, Marek T, Fa- teins as virulence factors of pathogenic fungi, frowicz M. Inconvenient correlation – RT-bold parasitic protozoa and multicellular parasites. relationship for homogeneous fast reactions. Molecular Oral Microbiology. 2014;29(6):270- Neuroscience. 2014;278:211-221. 283.

Gawron K, Bereta G, Nowakowska Z, Lazarz- Kochan J, Wawro M, Kolka A, Maczuga P, Kasza -Bartyzel K, Lazarz M, Szmigielski B, Mizgalska A. Transcription factor Elk-1 participates in the D, Buda A, Koziel J, Oruba Z, Chomyszyn-Gajew- interleukin-1 beta-dependent regulation of ska M, Potempa J. Peptidylarginine deiminase expression of immediate early response gene 3 from Porphyromonas gingivalis contributes to (IER3). Cytokine. 2014;70(2):120-125. infection of gingival fibroblasts and induction of prostaglandin E-2-signaling pathway. Mole- Koltun M, Banas M, Majewski P, Krzykawska- cular Oral Microbiology. 2014;29(6):321-332. -Serda M, Kwitniewski M. Cancer testis an- tigens: Searching for novel mechanisms of Gil M, Komorowski MP, Seshadri M, Rokita H, photodynamic therapy-mediated antitumor McGray AJR, Opyrchal M, Odunsi KO, Kozbor immune responses. Photodiagnosis and Photo- D. CXCL12/CXCR4 blockade by oncolytic viro- dynamic Therapy. 2014;11(4):546-548. therapy inhibits ovarian cancer growth by de- creasing immunosuppression and targeting Koro C, Bielecka E, Dahl-Knudsen A, Enghild cancer-initiating cells. Journal of Immunology. JJ, Scavenius C, Brun JG, Binder V, Hellvard A, 2014;193(10):5327-5337. Bergum B, Jonsson R, Potempa J, Blom AM, My- del P. Carbamylation of immunoglobulin abro- Godos J, Pluchinotta FR, Marventano S, Bu- gates activation of the classical complement scemi S, Li Volti G, Galvano F, Grosso G. Coffee pathway. European Journal of Immunology. components and cardiovascular risk: beneficial 2014;44(11):3403-3412. and detrimental effects. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2014;65(8):925- Kotlinowski J, Grochot-Przeczek A, Taha H, Ko- 936. zakowska M, Pilecki B, Skrzypek K, Bartelik A, Derlacz R, Horrevoets AJG, Pap A, Nagy L, Du- Guevara-Lora I, Stalinska K, Augustynek B, La- lak J, Jozkowicz A. PPAR gamma activation but bedz-Maslowska A. Influence of kinin peptides not PPAR gamma haplodeficiency affects pro- on monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion. Jour- angiogenic potential of endothelial cells and nal of Cellular Biochemistry. 2014;115(11):1985- bone marrow-derived progenitors. Cardiova- 1995. scular Diabetology. 2014;13. cont. p. 124

11 April 2015 1 4 LIST OF PUBLICATIONS, IV quarter 2014, cont. fron p. 11

Kruk J, Grabowska-Joachimiak A, Szymanska R. Szczelina R, Murzyn K. DMG-alpha- a compu- Galium suecicum (Rubiaceae), a new and relict tational geometry library for multimolecular species in the flora of Poland.Annales Botanici systems. Journal of Chemical Information and Fennici. 2014;51(5):273-278. Modeling. 2014;54(11):3112-3123.

Kruk J, Szymanska R, Cela J, Munne-Bosch S. Wojcik A, Broclawik E, Siegbahn PEM, Lund- Plastochromanol-8: Fifty years of research. Phy- berg M, Moran G, Borowski T. Role of substrate tochemistry. 2014;108:9-16. positioning in the catalytic reaction of 4-Hy- droxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase-A QM/MM Mikolajczyk TP, Skiba D, Batko B, Krezelok M, study. Journal of the American Chemical Society. Wilk G, Osmenda G, Pryjma JR, Guzik TJ. Cha- 2014;136(41):14472-14485. racterization of the impairment of the uptake

of apoptotic polymorphonuclear cells by mo- Wolak N, Kowalska E, Kozik A, Rapala-Kozik M. nocyte subpopulations in systemic lupus ery- Thiamine increases the resistance of baker's thematosus. Lupus. 2014;23(13):1358-1369. yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae against oxi- Editorial board: Martyna Elas dative, osmotic and thermal stress, through Milewska A, Zarebski M, Nowak P, Stozek K, Monika Rak mechanisms partly independent of thiamine Potempa J, Pyrc K. Human coronavirus NL63 Magdalena diphosphate-bound enzymes. Fems Yeast Rese- Tworzydło utilizes heparan sulfate proteoglycans for at- arch. 2014;14(8):1249-1262. tachment to target cells. Journal of Virology. Contact: 2014;88(22):13221-13230. [email protected] Yadav DK, Prasad A, Kruk J, Pospisil P. Evidence for the involvement of loosely bound plastose- Nagy CI, Vass I, Rakhely G, Vass IZ, Toth A, The editors reserve the miquinones in superoxide anion radical pro- right to adjust the mate- Duzs A, Peca L, Kruk J, Kos PB. Coregulated rial. Texts not signed are duction in photosystem II. Plos One. 2014;9(12). from the editors. genes link sulfide: quinone oxidoreducta- se and arsenic metabolism in Synechocystis Logo: Zdybicka-Barabas A, Palusinska-Szysz M, Gru- Sebastian Szytuła sp strain PCC6803. Journal of Bacteriology. szecki WI, Mak P, Cytrynska M. Galleria mel- Design: 2014;196(19):3430-3440. lonella apolipophorin III - an apolipoprotein Klemens Napkowski with anti-Legionella pneumophila activity. DTP: Sarna M, Zadlo A, Hermanowicz P, Madeja Z, Tomasz Krawiec Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta-Biomembranes. Burda K, Sarna T. Cell elasticity is an impor- Translation: tant indicator of the metastatic phenotype of 2014;1838(10):2689-2697. Małgorzata Sieradzka-Fleituch melanoma cells. Experimental Dermatology. 2014;23(11):813-818. Zoladz JA, Grassi B, Majerczak J, Szkutnik Z, Ko- rostynski M, Grandys M, Jarmuszkiewicz W, Ko-

Faculty of Biochemistry, Skalniak L, Dziendziel M, Jura J. MCPIP1 contri- rzeniewski B. Mechanisms responsible for the Biophysics butes to the toxicity of proteasome inhibitor acceleration of pulmonary (V)over-circleO(2) and Biotechnology, on-kinetics in after prolonged endu- Jagiellonian University MG-132 in HeLa cells by the inhibition of NF- Gronostajowa 7 -kappa B. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. rance training. American Journal of Physiology- 30-387 Krakow 2014;395(1-2):253-263. -Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physio- logy. 2014;307(9):R1101-R1114. Szafraniec MJ, Szczygiel M, Urbanska K, Fie- dor L. Determinants of the activity and sub- Zurek-Biesiada D, Waligorski P, Dobrucki JW. strate recognition of breast cancer resistance UV-induced spectral shift and protonation of protein (ABCG2). Drug Metabolism Reviews. DNA fluorescent dye Hoechst 33258. Journal of 2014;46(4):459-474. Fluorescence. 2014;24(6):1791-1801.